Hood Canal
Encyclopedia
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
forming the western lobe, and one of the four main basins, of Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
in the state of Washington. Hood Canal is not a canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
in the sense of being a man-made waterway—it is a natural waterway.
Geography
Union, Washington
Union is a small unincorporated community in Mason County, Washington, United States. The town lies along the southern shore of Hood Canal, at an area known as "the Great Bend". There is no U.S. Census data for the location...
, where it turns sharply to the northeast, a stretch called The Great Bend. It continues for about 15 miles (24.1 km) to Belfair
Belfair, Washington
Belfair is an unincorporated community in Mason County, Washington, United States. Located on the Union River, headwaters of the Hood Canal, a branch of Puget Sound, it serves as the commercial center of North Mason County. The population of the surrounding area swells in the summertime as...
, where it ends in a shallow tideland called Lynch Cove.
Along its entire length, Hood Canal separates the Kitsap Peninsula
Kitsap Peninsula
The Kitsap Peninsula is an arm of land that is part of the larger Olympic Peninsula in Washington state that lies west of Seattle across Puget Sound. Hood Canal separates Kitsap Peninsula from the rest of the Olympic Peninsula...
from the Olympic Peninsula
Olympic Peninsula
The Olympic Peninsula is the large arm of land in western Washington state of the USA, that lies across Puget Sound from Seattle. It is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, the north by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the east by Puget Sound. Cape Alava, the westernmost point in the contiguous...
of Washington. The U.S. Navy's Naval Base Kitsap
Naval Base Kitsap
Naval Base Kitsap is a U.S. Navy base located on the Kitsap Peninsula in Washington state. It was created in 2004 by merging the former Naval Station Bremerton with Naval Submarine Base Bangor...
, Bangor Annex, is located on the eastern shore of Hood Canal near the town of Bangor. Hood Canal has several internal bays, the largest of which is Dabob Bay. Most of Dabob Bay is a Naval Restricted Area, and is used by the submarines stationed at the Bangor Base. Quilcene Bay is an inlet extending northwest from Dabob Bay. Near the north end of Hood Canal is Port Gamble
Port Gamble, Washington
Port Gamble is an unincorporated community on the northwestern shore of the Kitsap Peninsula in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. It is also a small, similarly named bay, along which the community lies, near the entrance to Hood Canal. The unincorporated communities of Port Gamble and...
, a bay and a town of the same name.
Several rivers flow into Hood Canal, mostly from the Olympic Peninsula, including the Skokomish River
Skokomish River
The Skokomish River is a river in Mason County, Washington, United States. It is the largest river flowing into Hood Canal, an arm of Puget Sound. From its source at the confluence of the North and South Forks the main stem Skokomish River is approximately long. The longer South Fork Skokomish...
, Hamma Hamma River
Hamma Hamma River
The Hamma Hamma River is a river on the Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington. It rises near Mount Washington in the Olympic Mountains within the Olympic National Park and drains to Hood Canal and thence to the Pacific Ocean....
, Duckabush River
Duckabush River
The Duckabush River is located in the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, USA. It rises near Mount Duckabush in the Olympic Mountains within the Olympic National Park and drains to Hood Canal, an arm of Puget Sound....
, Dosewallips River
Dosewallips River
The Dosewallips River is a river situated on the Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington. It rises near Mount Anderson in the Olympic Mountains within Olympic National Park and drains to Hood Canal and thence to the Pacific Ocean....
, and Big Quilcene River
Big Quilcene River
The Big Quilcene River is a river on the Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington. It rises in the Buckhorn Wilderness near Marmot Pass, south of Buckhorn Mountain, and near Mount Constance. It flows generally east through the Olympic Mountains and the Olympic National Forest. After...
. Small rivers emptying into Hood Canal from the Kitsap Peninsula include the Union River
Union River (Washington)
The Union River is a stream in the U.S. state of Washington. It originates in central Kitsap Peninsula and flows south, emptying into the end of Hood Canal.-Course:...
, Tahuya River
Tahuya River
The Tahuya River is a stream in the U.S. state of Washington. It originates at Tahuya Lake in western Kitsap Peninsula and flows south, emptying into Hood Canal near the Great Bend.-Course:...
, and Dewatto River
Dewatto River
The Dewatto River is a stream in the U.S. state of Washington. It originates in western Kitsap Peninsula and flows south, emptying into Hood Canal...
.
Geology
Hood Canal and the rest of Puget Sound were created about 13,000 years ago, during the Late PleistoceneLate Pleistocene
The Late Pleistocene is a stage of the Pleistocene Epoch. The beginning of the stage is defined by the base of the Eemian interglacial phase before the final glacial episode of the Pleistocene 126,000 ± 5,000 years ago. The end of the stage is defined exactly at 10,000 Carbon-14 years BP...
, by the Puget Lobe of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet
Cordilleran Ice Sheet
The Cordilleran ice sheet was a major ice sheet that covered, during glacial periods of the Quaternary, a large area of North America. This included the following areas:*Western Montana*The Idaho Panhandle...
.
History
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
Captain George Vancouver
George Vancouver
Captain George Vancouver RN was an English officer of the British Royal Navy, best known for his 1791-95 expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern Pacific Coast regions, including the coasts of contemporary Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon...
on May 13, 1792, in honor of Admiral Lord Samuel Hood
Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood
Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood was a British Admiral known particularly for his service in the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars...
of that navy. Vancouver used the name "Hood's Channel
Channel (geography)
In physical geography, a channel is the physical confine of a river, slough or ocean strait consisting of a bed and banks.A channel is also the natural or human-made deeper course through a reef, sand bar, bay, or any shallow body of water...
" in his journal, but wrote "Hood's Canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
" on his charts. The United States Board on Geographic Names
United States Board on Geographic Names
The United States Board on Geographic Names is a United States federal body whose purpose is to establish and maintain uniform usage of geographic names throughout the U.S. government.-Overview:...
decided on "Hood Canal" as its official name in 1932.
Roads and bridges
U.S. Route 101U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101, is an important north–south U.S. highway that runs through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, on the West Coast of the United States...
runs along the west shore of Hood Canal, south of Quilcene
Quilcene, Washington
Quilcene is a census-designated place in Jefferson County, Washington, United States. The population was 591 at the 2000 census.The community is located on the scenic Olympic Peninsula along the seawater-filled glacial valley of the Hood Canal...
.
Hood Canal is spanned by the Hood Canal Bridge
Hood Canal Bridge
The Hood Canal Bridge is a floating bridge located in the U.S. state of Washington that carries Washington State Route 104 across Hood Canal and connects the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas. At long, The Hood Canal Bridge (officially William A. Bugge Bridge) is a floating bridge located in the U.S....
, the third longest floating bridge
Pontoon bridge
A pontoon bridge or floating bridge is a bridge that floats on water and in which barge- or boat-like pontoons support the bridge deck and its dynamic loads. While pontoon bridges are usually temporary structures, some are used for long periods of time...
in the world at 6521 feet (1,987.6 m). According to the Washington State Department of transportation, the Hood Canal Bridge is the only floating bridge constructed on saltwater, although there are others, such as Nordhordland Bridge
Nordhordland Bridge
The Nordhordland Bridge is a combined cable-stayed and pontoon bridge which crosses Salhusfjorden between Klauvaneset and Flatøy in Hordaland, Norway. It is long, of which the pontoon section is long. The cable-stayed section consists of a single tall H-pylon which has a length of and a main...
and Bergsøysund Bridge
Bergsøysund Bridge
Bergsøysund Bridge is a pontoon bridge that crosses the Bergsøysundet strait between the islands of Aspøya and Bergsøya in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The bridge is long, the longest span is , and the maximum clearance to the sea is . The bridge has 13 spans.Bergsøysund Bridge was opened in...
. The Hood Canal Bridge accommodates sixteen and a half foot tides.
Recreation
There are several state parks on the shores of Hood Canal including BelfairBelfair State Park
Belfair State Park on Hood Canal in Mason County, Washington is one of the Washington State Parks. It consists of of mudflats and beach, including of saltwater shoreline. Available activities include camping, fishing, swimming, clam digging, crabbing, camping, birdwatching, and outdoor sports...
, Twanoh
Twanoh State Park
Twanoh State Park in Mason County, Washington is a marine camping park in the Washington State Park System. It consists of with of saltwater shoreline on Hood Canal. Available activities include hiking, boating, fishing, swimming, waterskiing, crabbing, some athletic areas, beachcombing,...
, Potlatch
Potlatch State Park
Potlatch State Park is a state park in the state of Washington in the United States. It is located on Hood Canal near the town of Potlatch.-External links:*, Washington State Parks...
, Triton Cove
Triton Cove State Park
Triton Cove State Park at the southeasternmost corner of Jefferson County, Washington is one of the Washington State Parks. It consists of with of saltwater shoreline on Hood Canal. Available activities include boating , scuba diving, fishing, crabbing, and birdwatching.-References:...
, Scenic Beach
Scenic Beach State Park
Scenic Beach State Park in Kitsap County, Washington is a camping park in the Washington State Park System. It consists of with of saltwater shoreline on Hood Canal...
, Dosewallips
Dosewallips State Park
Dosewallips State Park in Jefferson County, Washington is one of the Washington State Parks. It consists of with of saltwater shoreline on Hood Canal and of freshwater shoreline on each side of the Dosewallips River...
, Kitsap Memorial
Kitsap Memorial State Park
Kitsap Memorial State Park in Kitsap County, Washington is one of the Washington State Parks. It consists of with campsites, group facilities, and of saltwater shoreline on Hood Canal. Available activities include hiking, scuba diving, fishing, swimming, clamming, crabbing, beachcombing,...
, and Shine Tidelands.
Theler Wetlands is located at the tip of the Canal in Belfair. It provides a few miles of trails and a protected environment for marsh and estuary birds and plants.
Low oxygen levels
September 2006 marked the discovery of the largest dead zoneDead zone (ecology)
Dead zones are hypoxic areas in the world's oceans, the observed incidences of which have been increasing since oceanographers began noting them in the 1970s. These occur near inhabited coastlines, where aquatic life is most concentrated...
in the history of Hood Canal. The dead zone may have been caused by low oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
levels due to algal blooms. Algal blooms occur in part because of warm weather and the slow turnover of water in the southern end of the canal, causing the build-up of nutrients from fertilizers and leaky septic systems. When the algae die, bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
feed and their populations explode, robbing the water of oxygen. The fish kill
Fish kill
The term fish kill, known also as fish die-off and as fish mortality, is a localized die-off of fish populations which may also be associated with more generalised mortality of aquatic life...
may also be part of a natural 50-year cycle of oxygen levels in the canal, which has merely been influenced (but not controlled) by anthropogenic activity.
In May 2006, divers searching for invasive species
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
discovered a mat of marine bacteria covering a 4 miles (6.4 km) stretch where all normal sea life was dead. The mat dissipated five months later. Jan Newton, oceanographer at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, said it was important to note that Hood Canal has had very low oxygen for a long time. Similar mats have been found near Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
; San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
; New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
; and New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
.
The oxygen level may also be partially due to a change in wind direction. The prevailing north wind generally pushes oxygenated water into the oxygen-depleted area. A sustained south wind will cut off this source of oxygen.
The Hood Canal Dissolved Oxygen Program, a partnership of 28 organizations, has been formed to combat the problem. This program will work with local, state, federal, and tribal government policy makers to evaluate potential corrective actions that will restore and maintain a level of dissolved oxygen that will reduce stress on marine life.